Showing posts with label Eurorack. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Eurorack. Show all posts

Saturday, 1 July 2017

Eloquencer - master track length

 This can be accessed by pressing Function & the clock button.
 



The Master track length changes the reset point of the pattern when master track is set to INT'.
 

The default is 16
 
 
It has a  max of 64 steps. 
This is not to be confused with making longer sequences.
 
 If I want to extend the length of my sequences to 32 I just need to chain two 16-step patterns. 
If I want to make a 64 step sequence, just chain four 16 step patterns
 
 To explain better what the Master Track Length really is I'll quote something I read in
 the WM forum

"Let's say I chain A1 and A2, MT is INT, and MTL is 16. When I press play the Eloq would play 16 steps in A1 and then will reset, so it will jump to the next pattern (A2). It would play 16 steps in A2 and will to jump to A1 again.  A1-A2 > A1-A2

If I set the configuration where MTL is 32, Eloq will play 32 steps in A1 and 32 steps in A2, so that would be like playing A1-A1-A2-A2 > A1-A1-A2-A2"
(Winter modular forum) 

 So in other words, making the master length to 32 will make the pattern repeat.


Friday, 30 June 2017

Eloquencer Sequencer - Notes - SONG structure

This are some personal notes for getting aquainted with your new Eloquencer sequencer.

The structure
The eloquencer's method of storing patterns and creating songs seems a bit confusing at first glance.

The thing to remember is that the "project" is at the top level of the system structure.
You can create up to 128 projects.
I like to view each project as something special I create for a particular gig.

Every Project is made up of songs.
Songs are made up of parts
Parts are made up of patterns.
Every pattern is made up of a max of 16 steps.

I think the best way to work with the Eloquencer is to start  at the most
basic level and make PATTERNS.
Then chain the patterns to make PARTs.
Then chain the PARTS to make SONGS.

Once you have enough songs for your gig, store then into a project.

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Each project contains 4 banks of 64 patterns.
Thus one project can have 64 x 4 = 256 patterns.
Each bank can be accessed while in Pattern mode by pressing the first 4 Track buttons.
A,B,C,D.
Then press one of the the 16 step buttons
 
A pattern is made up of 8 tracks.

How these  patterns are grouped and chained is how you make a song for live performance..
and each of these songs are stored with other songs within a project.

These patterns can be joined or chained to make "PARTS".
(The parts have a max number of 16 patterns
These patterns can be any of the 64 patterns that are stored within that project).

You can join these "Parts" to make a "Song".
 A Song is a sequence of Parts with a maximum length of 256 Parts



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So when you begin, you can assess your patterns, in Pattern mode.

You go to Pattern Mode by
1. Holding down Function & long press the Pattern button.


2. you navigate between the 4 banks of 16  with the top 4 track buttons
and the 16 step buttons.
3. add your new pattern by pressing an unlit step button then
    entering your notes.
4. save.
 

 
 
Saving is done in Project Mode
 

 

 -------------------------------------
 
This is song Mode;
Its here where you create PARTS and SONGs
 

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The CV, GATE , G Length, Ratchet buttons have multiple function.
 
 

 
They change colour if pressed repeately... to indicate probablilty etc etc


Tuesday, 20 June 2017

Multi-Band Distortion - NLC Build notes

These are my build notes for the Nonlinearcircuits Multi Band Distortion module.
It's in Eurorack format.
Andrew has based the layout on a Buchla 194 filter.

This is a fixed 4 channel bandpass from the late 1960's.
He has however added some goodies: Some Fuzz circuits & four Korg 3200 VCAs.
The distorted signal can be mixed with the clean signal . The VCAs use vactrols and allow CV control of the mix.

Andrew's build notes are here:
http://www.sdiy.org/pinky/data/MBD%20BOM%20and%20build.pdf

There are some useful links in the NLC blog:
http://nonlinearcircuits.blogspot.com.au/2015/02/multi-band-distortion-processor.html

Some pics of the virgin PCB and faceplate first.

Some NLC words of wisdom:

Jack Smith was born on November 14, 1932 in Columbus, Ohio, USA. He was an actor, known for Flaming Creatures (1963), Chumlum (1964) and Scotch Tape (1963). He died on September 25, 1989 in Manhattan, New York, USA.

I like to get the ICs on first.
Then the rest of the SMDs
Now for the rest of the through hole stuff:
resistors, headers, caps, etc
Trannies

Vactrols next.
The white dot on the vactrol is the cathode.
On the PCB, the cathode is marked "k"


Jacks & Pots. All B100K
And the faceplate.
Another one done. :-)
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Monday, 19 June 2017

Snazzy Effects - ArdCore -Installation Demo


This is an Arduino Eurorack Module.
It's creator is Snazzy Effects

http://bangbang-nyc.com/shop/snazzy-fx-ardcore/ 

http://snazzyfx.com/products/ardcore/


There are lots of sketches available online

The 1st 29 seconds of this video demos how to upload a patch to the ArdCore Eurorack Module by Snazzy FX The video is silent till 30 secs....so you dont have to turn your speakers up. 

 An Arduino is a micro-controller ( computer chip ) which can be programmed to act as you wish. So this module has the potential to be a VCO or filter, or ADSR envelope.... they say anything you like.. 

It all depends on the code ...So I downloaded this bit of random code (Pretty 1a_pot) from "github" just to test it out.
https://github.com/darwingrosse/ArdCo... 
https://github.com/eclectics/ardcore

This code turned out to be a sort of VCO (very different to your classic oscillator) ... or is it supposed to be a random audio source. ???? Anyway, it does respond to CV modulation. I'm modulating it with the anti-oscillator from Wiard which is a radical VCO in its own right. 

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Hopefully this will get everyone else up and running fast. There is no manual out as yet however these are the installation instructions as I understand: 

 1. INSTALL you need to install the Arduino software which you can grab from here: http://arduino.cc/en/Main/Software 
 Just download the version you need (win, linux or osx) and install it

 99 percent of the sketches work without any additional tinkering. A few of the sketches might require you to install a library. 

 2. install the USB driver http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/VCP.htm 

you want the OSX vcp driver or Windows VCP driver depending on OS 

3. In the arduino program, under the TOOLS MENU SET BOARD to UNO (this is crucial)

4. open an Ardcore program 

5. hit the upload button 6. if it works, it will say UPLOADED. (you will briefly see lights light up on the DATA leds on the ARDCORE) 

7. when done, disconnect USB cable unless you need it plugged in. Thanks to Dan of Snazzy FX for these tips. 

Cheers. J 

Check this out for more info: http://20objects.com/ardcore/ 

Thanks to Matt from RhythmActive for the ArdCore. http://www.rhythmactive.com.au/

Sunday, 18 June 2017

Modular in the (Car)park

So excited about the inaugural Modular in the Car Park.

This will be held on Sunday July 16th, 12noon to 4pm.
The event is open to anyone with a synth.. modular, keyboards, drum machines, etc.
It's undercover so will be held rain, hail, snow or shine.
Please contact me , Andrew, Rory, Claude S,  here, by Facebook or
phone to Prosound & Lighting (02 4226 1177).
Many thanks to Claude Spinelli of Prosound & Lighting for hosting this.

A post shared by jono (@dj_jondent) on

The address is 16 Flinder's Street Wollongong, 2500
Directions

On street carparking & close to North Wollongong Train Station.

The Modular in the Carpark Facebook page is here

Saturday, 17 June 2017

Roland 121 filter & 521

A viewer requested a comparison between the Roland eurorack 521 and the vintage 121.


My understanding is that the  521 filter is not meant to be a clone of the vintage 121m
The docs state it was inspired by both the Roland system 100m and the 700m.
I like the sound of both 521 & 121.
Well done Malekko & Roland.
A post shared by jono (@dj_jondent) on
The 121 has a lovely bubbly character.
Possibly due to the BA662A OTA (Operational Transconductance Amplifier).
It's actually a VCA chip that Roland also used in the TB303.


The BA662A is long obsolete so I wonder what replacement was used in the 521

 This is from the TB303 service manual.
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The OTA is a flexible chip... used in the NLC Dual OTA-VCO
and the Cluster matrix mixer
What the OTA  shares with your common Op-Amp is:
1. a single output.
2. They both have inverting & non-inverting inputs.
3. They both have power lines (V+ & V-)

What makes the OTA different is that it has 2 extra inputs (Ibias & Iabc)
and it's output is a current not a voltage.
So, to put it another way, a OTA is a voltage to current amplifier.
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Monday, 5 June 2017

Cluster Matrix Mixer - NLC build notes.

These are my build notes for the NonLinearCircuit Cluster Matrix mixer module.
It's 42Hp Eurorack format. The mixer has 8 ins & 4 outs.
 
Lots and lots of SMD here so be warned. This could take a while to put together :-)

Andrew's build notes are here.
http://www.sdiy.org/pinky/data/CLUSTER%20guide%20&%20%20BOM.pdf

The NLC blog has some pics that might be useful.
http://nonlinearcircuits.blogspot.com.au/2015/03/cv-controlled-matrix-mixer.html

Some NLC words of wisdom.

A post shared by jono (@dj_jondent) on

Back to the build.
My PCB is version 2.
So only two mods need to be made. Check out Andrew's build notes for more details.
A trace needs to be cut where the yellow line is.
I've also circled it in the image below.

There are 32 VCAs

It uses 16 of these  NJM13700M s:
Mouser cart 

The NJM13700M is a Transconductance Amplifier or an OTA (Operational
Transconductance Amplifiers)
It has 3 input pins (V+ & V- like in standard Op amps plus a 3rd input)
 In the above example the pins are respectively, 3, 4, & 1.

The output of an OTA is not a voltage like in a standard opamp. It's a current.
(Now I understand the Tesla vs Edison quote. It's a reference to the AC Vs DC battle). 
The gain of the OTA is controlled by this 3rd input pin.
 It seems that Andrew has used these 16 Dual OTAs to build the 32 VCAs.

If I'm reading this circuit correctly The TL074 acts as the current to voltage converter.
The output of the OTA feeds into the regular Op-amp which has its feedback loop.
This effectively has infinite input impedance.
Since the original input of the OTA is inverting, the final output of the TL074 is non inverted.

 I like to get all the IC's on first.

 Then the rest of the passive components.


 These are the mods needed for rev2 PCBs.

Pots first. These are all B100k.

Jacks next.

The first mod wire broke and removed some of the PCB trace.
So I reattached it further down.


Initally there was a slight hum on the top channel .... channel A.
Andrew suggested checking the channel A 470R resistors are soldered properly to ground, same or any opamp pins that should be going to ground.

I touched up Pins 3 & 4 of the 13700m VCAs. This fixed the hum.

Nice one Andrew.

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Wednesday, 24 May 2017

1050 Mixer sequencer - Build notes

This is a Eurorack module inspired by the ARP 2500 mix sequencer.

There are lots of SMD components so it's probably not a good one for beginners.


Here are Andrew's build notes:
http://www.sdiy.org/pinky/data/mixseq1050BuildBOM%20vers1.pdf

Muffs notes:
https://www.muffwiggler.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=154469

Some pics of the virgin PCB & Panel

Some NLC words of wisdom

This is great SMD soldering practice.
I like to get those ICs on first. These are SOIC.
The sequencer section uses one CD 4017 (decade counter) , three CD4071s (quad 2-input OR gate) and  one CD 4081 (CMOS Quad 2-input AND gate).


The 4017 decade counter is central to this sequencer.
Sending a pulse to the clock input (pin 14) sends a pulse out from each of the outputs in sequence.

A bit about gates.

CD4071 (quad 2-input OR gate)
 
 Truth table of the OR gate:

 CD 4081 (CMOS Quad 2-input AND gate).
This is the truth table for the AND gate
I'm using a DG 212.
Here are the mouser details.

You can also use a DG 442. Just make sure it can handle +/-12V.
My DG 212 can handle +/-15V so should be OK.
It's an analogue switch. 4x SPST.

Some earlier versions of the DG442 require a voltage offset on pin12, the spaces for these resistors are on the PCB marked 100k* and 120k*.
New versions do not require these resistors, so check the datasheet for your  IC, if pin 12 is marked ‘NC’ you do not have to install these resistors.

My DG 212 has pin 12 marked as VL. so I will install the resistors.
Data sheet.

Next install the rest of the SMDs.... lots of resistors & caps. These are 0805s
Parts marked "c" are 100K .

Then the through hole stuff.


Install jacks, switches first. Line up with panel.
Then pots. I used B100K.

Don't forget the ground wires for the jacks. I use left overs from caps & resistors.

The PCB looks like this:

Finally the LEDs

LED orientation : The long lead (anode) , (+) goes into the square hole on PCB.


Yah it works. Nice one Andrew.
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You can find more NLC builds here.
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